Pahn and Teo, Is It Friendship? Or Betrayal?
by Foregiver-Sign
Summary: The fight between Pahn and Master Teo will really test a man's will. Their friendship is crossed and betrayal lies ahead. Or can they find a way around it...and still be friends admist all they did?


Disclaimer: I don't own anything of Suikoden I or anything…just like the game ok ^_^

Ok…so I haven't played Suikoden I in a REALLY LONG time…. so…I might not get this entirely right. Bear with me…

A/N: RIOU is the generic name for the hero of the game I will use. It's pretty commonly used, so I'll make it even more common ^_~.

The fight between Master Teo and Pahn ensues. Faith and friendship is tested. Loyalty and respect are questioned. Will Pahn pass the test? Will they ever come to see their differences…the ultimate test of a man's will.

"My own son…I don't believe you…leader of the Liberation Army…"

"Master Teo…"

"Cleo, you too…I don't believe any of you…betrayal…" Teo continued. Cleo looked hurt. Pahn saw the pain in her eyes. He wouldn't let her, or the young master stay here. It wasn't the right time for this.

"Everyone…go…I'll try and stop them as long as I can," Pahn said. Riou (as everyone seems to call the main character…so I guess I'll use it as my generic name for the Suikoden I fics I write) looked shocked.

"Pahn…we can't leave you…he's my father…I should…"

"No…young master…you have to leave. The whole army is looking up to your leadership. There are still things you must do. Think of Gremio…and how he gave his life to save you…you have to honor his memory and live on," Pahn said. Cleo was catching on to Pahn's words. After all, she did spend most of her life with him serving the McDohl household.

"Pahn…are you saying that you should die while young master lives?!" Cleo shouted.

"Just because I tore myself away from serving Master Teo…doesn't mean I tear myself away from what I promised to do long ago…and that was to protect young master. You too Cleo, I said I'd protect you to didn't I? Please…keep young master safe…like we're supposed to," Pahn pleaded. 

"Pahn…" Riou said quietly. He looked at his father, but quickly turned his head when his eyes met his father's. "Come on Cleo...everyone. You know Pahn…he won't…relinquish once he's set on doing something…"

"Pahn…" Cleo said. "Just come back to us…don't die now Pahn…you can't…"

"Go Cleo…everyone…" Pahn said. They all turned around and left. But, the way they left…you could tell that none of them wished to leave. Not only were they defeated…they were now defeated morally as well. They needed to be able to fight back, for even if Pahn lived, he would not have anywhere to go back to. Lord Mathiu led them back to the castle. Pahn and Teo drew their swords.

"Pahn…why…do you fight?"

"Why…because…I…I chose my own path. I might have betrayed them once…and I'm not going to do it again," Pahn replied.

"So, you're going to betray me?" Pahn bit his lip.

"It's perhaps my last chance to make it up to them…I've known them for so long…I can't stand to betray them again," Pahn replied. He couldn't look Master Teo McDohl in the eyes anymore.

"Pahn, so you'll betray me instead?"

"Please Master Teo…don't make it harder for me than it already is…I don't want to fight you…I just…" Pahn said. Master Teo took a swing at Pahn; Pahn raised his sword to deflect the attack.

"Pahn…so you'll give your life…to protect a bunch of scoundrels like them?!"

"Master Teo…please…don't call your son a scoundrel…he's following his own path…like you told him to listen to his heart. I think he's grown up into a fine young man…" the weight on Pahn's blade lifted a little.

"My son…Riou…leader of the Liberation Army…"

"That's what he is, and don't you dare say that he hasn't turned into a fine young man!" Pahn shouted. The will of these two men, the will to fight, the will to live, was being tested. They're standing at the doors between friendship and betrayal.

"Riou…" Teo said. "Ted, if it wasn't for Ted, Riou would still...!!!" Teo lunged at Pahn again. Pahn swung his sword and deflected the attack again.

"Master Teo…don't blame Ted either. It's the court magician, Windy, who is causing all this…even Emperor Barbarossa…I don't think he's the root of all this pain and suffering. If young master were still on the Imperial side…would it be okay…to slaughter and kill all these innocent people? Would it be okay just to sit back and watch so many people suffer because of what Lady Windy wants? She only wants one thing, and that's the rune now on young master's hand…tell me Master Teo…can you sit back and watch her destroy the lives of so many?!"

"Pahn…" Master Teo said. Then a new fire seemed to blossom in his eyes, "I'm only following orders!" he shouted. He lunged at Pahn again. Pahn took another swing and deflected his attack. It would have been a perfect chance to kill Master Teo…but somehow Pahn couldn't bring himself to do it. He just watched him hit the ground.

"Please Master Teo…I'm begging you…just leave…it's not worth staying here just to kill me," Pahn said. Master Teo didn't move. "Master Teo?!" Pahn rushed over to his side. He saw that he had left a deep wound in his left side. "Oh Master Teo…" Pahn said quietly. He stood up and started to run. He didn't want to believe that he killed the great general of the Imperial army. That great general…was also one of his friends. Even though they were on different sides…he still wanted to believe they could still be friends. As Pahn ran, Alen and Grenseal, serving under Lord Teo approached.

"Come back you coward!" Alen shouted. Grenseal went to Lord Teo while Alen started to run off. A quiet, fading voice came from the wounded general.

"No…wait Alen…don't…" he said. Alen stopped. He turned to the general.

"But…why?"

"I…I just…couldn't stand to watch him…watch him be killed infront of my own eyes. He's already witnessed his half…I don't want to make mine any greater…do you think I was a good father?"

"You were a wonderful father…" Grenseal replied.

"I…I'm glad you think so…" Teo replied softly. His voice was fading, his breathing getting shallower. "Alen, Grenseal…"

"Yes sir?" they responded.

"Please…serve my son…watch over him in the Liberation army…"

"Sir…?"

"Please…it's my last request…I…I was a horrible father to believe that my son was a traitor for going into the Liberation army…but the truth is…I never gave him a choice. I sent him into the Imperial life, maybe he didn't like it. Maybe I just didn't give him any freedom in his choices…please…join the Liberation Army and watch over him…"

"But why?" Alen asked.

"It's…something…a former…servant…no dear friend of mine told me. Pahn…he said that Lady Windy is destroying the world…not Emperor Barbarossa. She seems to be controlling our minds…Lord Millich, Lord Kwanda, Lady Sonya…everyone…she's destroying our lives…infront of our eyes. So…that's why…you must join…the Liberation army…"

"Lord Teo!"

"Please…and my last favor…that you tell my son…that I…I always loved him…and I'm sorry…that I never believed in him…" he said. With that, he released his last breath, and faded into the afterlife.

"Lord Teo? Lord Teo!" Grenseal shouted.

"Lord Teo…" Alen said. "Grenseal…I've always fought with the Imperials…but…I can't ignore a dying man's wish…especially such a good man as him…"

"I agree Alen…let us give our swords…to the hands of Lord Riou McDohl…"

"You…you can see his father's heart imbedded in his own…perhaps this won't be so bad after all…" Alen said as the two of them walked in the sunset toward the dock that would take them to the new place they would call home.


End file.
